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I can't remember the link, but there was an article that took satellite photos and showed how much land was taken up by parking lots. It was something close to

by mahyarm 10y ago

I can't remember the link, but there was an article that took satellite photos and showed how much land was taken up by parking lots. It was something close to a third or a half, using places like downtown houston as an example. Also many roads sacrifice 2 lanes to street parking. A townhouse I lived in pretty much sacrificed %80 of one floor for the 2 car garage. I agree the NIMBY policies are pretty horrible. 8 story apartments should of been a by right development type ages ago. European cities who take up the parking lane with huge sidewalks are very nice, all of this space for outdoor seating.

hydrogen18 10y ago
If they were using Houston then the study was either an internal study for the city, or someone cherry picking their study area to make sure they got the results they needed. Houston is either the worst place in the world to live, or the best depending on who you talk to. They have almost no zoning laws at all, which has resulted in endless sprawl. The place is literally where you go to study the effects of unbounded urban and suburban growth of a city.
- Kluny 10y ago
  I read a study about Houston recently that actually had another perspective on that. There's not "zoning" laws per se - you can build whatever you want - but there are minimum lot sizes and parking requirements that effectively limit the density of the city to the point where cost effective public transit is impossible. It's not really all that free. I think this was it. [ http://austinzoning.typepad.com/austincontrarian/files/ssrnid8372441.pdf http://austinzoning.typepad.com/austincontrarian/files/ssrni... ]
  - hydrogen18 10y ago
    Or a really nice good ole boy network where to build some stuff you need to be able to call in some favors.
- mahyarm 10y ago
  The example wasn't just houston, it was other cities too with zoning.

by mahyarm 10y ago

hydrogen18 10y ago

If they were using Houston then the study was either an internal study for the city, or someone cherry picking their study area to make sure they got the results they needed. Houston is either the worst place in the world to live, or the best depending on who you talk to. They have almost no zoning laws at all, which has resulted in endless sprawl. The place is literally where you go to study the effects of unbounded urban and suburban growth of a city.

Kluny 10y ago
I read a study about Houston recently that actually had another perspective on that. There's not "zoning" laws per se - you can build whatever you want - but there are minimum lot sizes and parking requirements that effectively limit the density of the city to the point where cost effective public transit is impossible. It's not really all that free. I think this was it. [ http://austinzoning.typepad.com/austincontrarian/files/ssrnid8372441.pdf http://austinzoning.typepad.com/austincontrarian/files/ssrni... ]
- hydrogen18 10y ago
  Or a really nice good ole boy network where to build some stuff you need to be able to call in some favors.
mahyarm 10y ago
The example wasn't just houston, it was other cities too with zoning.